Having read this series from the start, and having endured man a tense moment, I have to say I think this issue may have been the tensest of all! That’s saying quite a lot!
Last issue, Carl manned-up and stowed away on Negan’s supply truck before opening fire with a machine gun and killing a handful of the villain’s men. This issue deals with the aftermath of that, as we learn more about Negan’s previously unseen enclave. Let me just remind you that calling Negan “unhinged” is an understatement. This issue further elaborates just how crazy this guy is, though not to imply he isn’t brilliant. He’s a classic criminal mastermind with a very nasty dark side and Carl gets to witness a lot of it firsthand.
We get to see just how much power he wields (his followers kneel when he enters the room and he has a harem of wives to fulfill his lusty needs). But the tension really rises when he gets Carl alone in a room. I won’t spoil what coms next, but as I mentioned it’s a TENSE interaction, punctuated by Negan’s sadism and mental unbalance. It’s a scene that I’m sure readers will be buzzing about for years!
The book culminates in another pretty intense scene. Not to give it away, but we learn why Dwight’s face is jacked up. It’s apparently part of a ritual.
Last issue was a tad slow, but this issue was pivitol! It’s one of the most important single issues in this series, all the while it doesn’t completely resolve anything. It’s part of the ongoing journey, but it’s a very significant step. If you are going to skip an issue every now and again, this is NOT one to pass on.
THE WALKING DEAD #105
Written by Robert Kirkman
Art and Cover by Charlie Adlard
